1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus for processing an original image, adapted for use in a copying machine, a facsimile apparatus or the like.
2. Related Background Art
Image processing apparatus for photoelectrically reading an original image to obtain an image signal and thus electrically processing the original image have been proposed by the present applicant for example in U.S. Pat. Application No. 06/942,035, filed Dec. 15, 1986, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,835,618, which is a continuation of Application No. 06/876,659, filed June 18, 1986, now abandoned, which is a continuation of Application No. 06/537,424, filed Sept. 29, 1983, now abandoned; U.S. Pat. Application No. 07/220,936, filed June 23, 1988, which is a continuation of Application No. 07/106,892, filed Oct. 9, 1987, now abandoned, which is a continuation of Application No. 06/946,093, filed Dec. 23, 1986, now abandoned, which is a continuation of Application No. 06/539,461, filed Oct. 6, 1983, now abandoned; U.S. Pat. Application No. 06/339,282, filed Jan. 13, 1982, now U.S. Pat. 4,439,790; and U.S. Pat. Application No. 06/677,096, filed Nov. 30, 1984, now U.S. Pat. 4,686,577.
Such apparatus are capable of functions such as image enlargement, image reduction, extraction of a partial image and erasure thereof.
There are also known other image processing functions such as an image moving mode in which the original image is moved to the center or a predetermined position of a sheet by recognizing the size and position of the original; a function of automatically selecting an optimum sheet size; and a function of automatically varying the image size according to the selected sheet size. However, these functions are in fact conducted for the entire original document, and, if the original contains a large unnecessary white area or if the information is not located at the center, the area outside the information portion is inevitably wasted. Consequently it has been necessary for the operator to designate a desired information area for example with a digitizer or with numeral keys.